This time around though, Silvia has been promoted from damsel in distress to ass-kicking cheerleaders. At least we presume she’s a cheerleader – the pompoms and boots kind of hint at it. Those boots…in the finest videogame tradition Silvia boasts a different set of skills to Joe. For a start, she can jump higher- hardly, but kind of dull – oh, and a laser gun, definitely not dull. In fact, it makes for a great contrast to Joe’s close range combat skills and , of course, can be powered up using the Slow VFX power – increasing the size and potency of the gun’s projectile and potential for spewey – leaser death.

One element of the original Viewtiful Joe that we didn’t get a chance to fill you in on in our Beta, what with the version we played not actually featuring it, is Joe’s trusty vehicle, the six Machine. It isn’t exactly abused in the original game, hence it gets an extended run in Viewtiful Joe 2, transforming, in true Japanese Tv show tradition, into multiple forms, including a drill, submarine, cannon and racer.

Extra features are all but guaranteed with this Capcom sequel – that ‘TBC’ in the number of players box alludes to the fact that we’ve seen footage featuring both Joe and Silvia on the screen at the same time. Whether this means Viewtiful Joe 2 will support two players, or that it will simply have computer Al control the second character to be seen, Capcom is keeping tight lipped, but expect to hear it here first soon.

Blood will Tell’s Hyakkimaru is completely unlike the average videogame protagonist – with detachable arms that hide vicious shoulder mounted swords, and legs that conceal bazookas, he’s fully equipped to undertake the journey across five varied environment and slay ant hell-beasts he may come across. And slay he will – Sega Wow has included over 100 different monsters, raging from ogres to skeletons to giant deities in an adventure that promises to be an impressive third-person adventure akin to Devil May Cry.

Of course, Hyakkimaru will not be simply limited to the weapons connected to his torso, and a number of weapons still be revealed by the developer can be collected during the adventure – presumably Hyakkimaru’s prosthetic firepower will become less deadly as he unifies his organs and dispenses with the prosthetic replacement, and will need a little added artillery to redress the balance. Another intriguing aspects of Blood will Tell is that is the throughout the course of the game, the vengeful warrior will be accompanied by his young friend Dororo, a thief who can be controlled in areas where Hyakkimaru can no longer progress. Two players will also be able to the companions cooperatively and unravel the mystery together, adding some multiplayer longevity to what is often seen as a single player, narrative-led genre, Blood Will Tell should be one of the most outstanding game of its time

In these times of synthetic craze and hype about everything unnatural, it is indeed heartening to hear about something natural. Waldorf dolls is one such item that is made out of natural materials and made in such a manner that there is a lot of scope for the purchaser of such dolls to give it distinct identities. The finish of these dolls is left pretty vague so much so that even the sex is not known and it is left up to the young child for whom these dolls are meant for to give full vent to its creative imagination and lend it a form that is special to the child.  These dolls have become very popular mainly due to their low cost of manufacture and the fact that they allow so much of creative freedom in a child. It is indeed a source of great accomplishment and achievement for the child, when it is able to fashion out something out of nothing and it is for the parents to encourage this freedom of expression in their children by making available all necessary resources to make that happen. Parents will also carry with them a positive feeling that they have contributed to the learning of their child in a manner that is without danger and within their budget.

So what is it that makes Waldorf dolls different from the other more popular ones in the market?

• These are hand made with natural elements like cotton and wool stuffing.
• Since they are hand crafted, they often carry the maker’s love and dedication within them, which is very different from the dolls churned out by machines in the factory.
• These dolls convey a feeling of warmth and snugness due to the materials used making them ideal for small children.
• The ones made for infants do not need to be dressed since the body itself is covered with attractive colored fabric
• The variety available is good from very simple babies to more advanced dolls complete with button joints.

While the most basic one is the bunting baby, which can be put together pretty quickly, more advanced dolls with arms and legs without any joints are equally popular with children. Parents are finding such dolls ideal gifts for their children as they are able to garner the additional resources pretty easily in today’s times. The internet, books and other word of mouth information on these dolls have made it very convenient for parents to gift Waldorf dolls to their children, knowing fully well that they encourage creativity and are harmless. It is also a good idea to check with local craftsmen and stores that hold classes for such a hobby. They are quite affordable and you could pick up some skills that would save you a lot of time that you would have otherwise spent in learning them from books or the internet. You will also benefit from the experience of making new friends at such workshops.

It is also useful to look around the popular resale markets for better variety of resources that may have become available, thanks to the growing popularity of these dolls with time.